Learning to Bend
by Little-Miss-Pessimistic
Summary: Jack is trying mindfulness techniques, with the help of Sam. S/J Established Relationship


"This is stupid."

"Shhh…."

Huff… "Carter, this is ridiculous."

"Jack! What did I just say?"

Jack mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath.

Sam opened one eye and glared at Jack. "I'm sorry, what was that?" It was seriously impressive that she could glare with just the one eye, Jack thought.

"Nothing dear…" Jack replied sweetly.

Sam puffed in annoyance before closing her eye again. She flexed her neck as if to get rid of a crick before starting again.

"Ok, Jack, you need to listen this time. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, grab your toes."

"Grab my what?!"

"Your toes Jack. The things on the bottom of your body. I believe you sometimes refer to them as feet fingers," finished Sam, sarcastically.

"Are you calling me an idiot?"

"Well if the shoe fits…"

"Isn't this whole thing meant to relax you? Ya know, to make you happy and positive and all that crap. From what I've seen it just seems to make you mean," Jack sneered.

"That's because you're not listening to me," stated Sam through gritted teeth.

"I am listening, but I physically can't do what you're asking me to do. Can we do something easier?"

"Ok fine, sit on your mat like this." Sam sat down on her heels. "See, easy."

Jack got down on his mat too and attempted to do the same. As soon as he got down to his knees, he started to snigger.

Sam opened her eyes again to just glare outright this time. "Jack, if you weren't planning on taking this seriously, then why did you ask to do yoga with me?"

Jack looked almost contrite before saying "You won't like the answer."

"Try me."

"Well I was just thinking this would involve more of me sitting back and watching you bend over in lycra…" he said averting his gaze.

Jack looked up at her expecting a backlash but instead she was shaking her head and biting her lip to stop herself from laughing. "You're such a pig," she muttered.

"Yeah, but ya love me," he announced proudly.

"Apparently," said Sam. She got to her knees and leaned over to his mat before briefly kissing his smirking lips. She placed her palm on his cheek before pleading, "can you please take this seriously now? Yoga is so good for you, especially building strength for your bad knee."

"Yeah yeah, fine I promise to be serious," he murmured before pressing his lips to hers again.

Sam pulled away and settled back on her heels and gestured for Jack to do the same. Jack attempted to sit the same as Sam but his legs felt too stiff to bend back that way.

"Sam, I can't do it. My legs don't bend like that."

"Wait a second, let me get a towel."

"A towel? What are you gonna make me do next?"

Sam simply shook her head again as she went back into the house. She came back out to the garden a moment later with a towel folded very tightly. She stood behind him and attempted to manipulate his body and tucked the towel underneath him.

"Ow, Carter, stop manhandling me," Jack moaned.

Sam simply rolled her eyes before returning to her own mat and smiling at Jack. "There, see now you can sit on your heels."

"Well I'm actually sat on a towel…"

"It's a start. Now lean back slowly grabbing your ankles first, then place your hands on the mat. If you can do that, place your entire spine flat against the mat and bring your hands to your side. It's ok for your knees to fall apart slightly but make sure it's not too much."

From Sam's position on the mat, she couldn't see what Jack was doing, but he seemed to be far too quiet. "Jack, are you doing it?"

"Ermmmm not exactly."

Sam raised her head slightly to see Jack still in the same position, sitting on the towel, leering at her. His eyes roamed over her body slowly and hungrily.

"Jack," Sam complained. "You promised you would take this seriously."

"I'm trying Carter, but I'm not as flexible as you," he complained.

"Fine, let's try something even easier. This next pose is called Pavanamuktasana and is said to help aid digestion." Sam demonstrated the position by lying back as she brought her knees to her chest. She waited for Jack to catch up with her. He shoved the towel out of the way before copying Sam's position. Satisfied so far, she began to rock back and forth.

"Ok so now press your knees in tight to your abdomen and rock gently like this almost as if you're massaging your stomach. See like…."

PPPRRRRTTTTTTT

Sam let go of her legs and sat back up abruptly to look at Jack. "Jack, did you just…pass wind?"

He was still in his curled up position with a sheepish look on his face. "Whoops…"

This time, Sam couldn't hold in her laugh. She let out a loud, deep and throaty laugh and fell back on her mat holding her stomach. It was so infectious that even Jack couldn't hold in a guffaw.

"Well you did say it would help with digestion…"

That started another round of laughs for both of them, with Sam slapping the mat, fighting to regain control. It took a few minutes before they both regained control. Jack turned to face her on his mat.

"OK, so maybe yoga isn't my sport…"

"Ya think?" Sam said between the residual giggles. Once they subsided, she asked "well… how about we try pilates tomorrow?"


End file.
